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Gabriela Pepino

I wanted to sing a jazzy song/ but they wouldn't let me do it/ Let me do it/ Let me do it with a warm voice, claims Gabriela Pepino in the chorus of Let me do it, song which entitles and starts her first album released by Ultra Music Record Label.

About Me

Listen to this exquisite composition is enough to understand that Gabriela Pepino asks to do what she does best. Let me do it, the album, shows a singer and songwriter with plain and precocious knowledge of her art. A skilled jazz- themed performer who's talent have been showed in jazz festivals around the world, along with blues, soul and pop music influences. Graduated at Babaya Escola de Canto (BRAZIL), and former Berklee College of Music Alumni, America's most prestigious music college, to where Gabriela Pepino went on 2004, when she was still 17 years old.

What really impresses in Let me do it – produced by Gabriela Pepino with musical direction and arrangements by Gilvan de Oliveira - is the singer's technique. The masterly from which she swings and achieves notes with delicacy, is typical old school. However, to this well polished technique acquired through the last decade, comes to add the album's instrumental refinement. Musicians such as Lincoln Cheib (drums), Adriano Campagnani (bass) and Gilvan de Oliveira (guitar), contributes to singing a repertoire that comes absolutely natural to her voice. “ I've done what I've always wanted to do in this Album. I've arrived well prepared to record and sure of what I wanted. The influences from Jazz, Blues, Soul and pop are very natural to me. Ever since a little girl, I've listened and sang this kind of music on a daily basis.” Says Gabriela Pepino.

Yes, Pepino's North American feeling is naturally present on Let me do it. The current use of backing-vocals – all in tune with the artist in If I lived in France, another theme from Gabriela Pepino's work, that quotes in it's words, tokens of the Eiffel Tower's country – evokes the soul of north American music from old times. With an organic texture, Let me do it has a vintage feeling, freshly worshiping old times sounds, in it's authentic repertoire. My dream is You, one of the pop songs of the album, exemplifies the arrangement's accuracy – featuring Sesi Minas String's Orchestra- and the pop feeling of others. “ Pop music is also a big part of me. But it's like the 70's pop feeling. I should have been born in another era! “ Laughts Gabriela Pepino

From another era – and from a female pop icon- comes I don't wanna fight, Tina Tuner's Hit. Lulu Lawrie (british singer from the hit, To sir with love), Billy Lawrie and Steve Duberry 's theme, was recorded by Tina in the 1993 's album What's Love got to do with it. It was the last big hit from Tina, which has been talented rewound by Gabriela, avoiding a simple cover from the original record. Still outside her own compositions, comes Someone to Light up my life, (Antonio Carlos Jobim and Vinicius de Morais), 1956's song that debuts their successful partnership. Jobim's sovereign music gets universal accent enhanced by Pepino's album, which talks through the traditions of Soul and Rhythm and Blues, in songs like Change and Headache (Gabriela Pepino). Approached traditions with an organic feeling without the artificial and mechanic tones often used in today's records. All made possible by sound engineer Henrique Soares Martins, at Ultra Studio in Brazil, where the album was mixed and recorded, along with mastering process made by Grammy Award winner mastering Engineer Tom Coyne, at Sterling Sound, NYC. The technical accuracy in the finishing process, qualifies the pureness of the sounds and instruments, which can be listened with perfection without overcoming her voice.

It's amazing how naturally Gabriela faces a Blues like “Dose of Scotch” as if she was placed in a mid 20's cabaret. Her rhythmic skills shown in Baby, are a delight to all ears. Again proving her naturally talented skills as a songwriter/composer. Her wide vocal range, is well shown in the highest notes of Unexpected.

Another pop song of her own, Deepest Shadow, featuring Brazilian's pop singer Marina Machado, drives a special attention to the album. The duet, between Marina and Gabriela, adds a little more energy to this full of life record, which is ready to go on top charts.

Gabriela's choice for singing in English, instead of her native language, came as natural as her musical initiation. “ It was bigger than me! I've been writing these songs for the past four years!” adds Gabriela Pepino.

In times where figurative music and singers are programmed to follow the beat of the moment, Let me do it injects honesty and vitality to this often addicted business. Gabriela Pepino is a true singer that makes real music like old times. History – emphasis on Amy Winehouse's (1983-2011) success – has been kindly generous to those who follow this retro path with soul. Let Gabriela Pepino do it!

Mauro Ferreira Fevereiro de 2012

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